Update of the Design Guidelines for the St. Anthony Falls Historic District

The City of Minneapolis will be working on a project to develop new design guidelines for the St. Anthony Falls Historic District.

The current St. Anthony Falls Historic District Design Guidelines were adopted by the Minneapolis Heritage Preservation Commission in 1980. In the three decades since the existing design guidelines were adopted, the district has seen dramatic change. Access to and interaction with the falls and the river has evolved, infrastructure has been added, project plans have been developed and realized, and the understanding and knowledge of the historic resources in the district have increased.

The update to the design guidelines will take a holistic approach toward the many features that make up the essential character of the district – one that balances preservation, restoration, and rehabilitation with the opportunity that comes from integrating new infrastructure, new uses, higher densities, new buildings, and new landscapes. In order to create and sustain economically successful places, it has become critical to evaluate and carefully consider how entire environments function as a diverse, but unified cultural landscape. New design guidelines need to address the entire cultural landscape of the St. Anthony Falls Historic District to steward the entire collection of resources into the Twenty-First Century.

Historic district design guidelines are a local policy and regulatory tool used in decision-making to evaluate alterations and new development within the historic district. The new design guidelines will include guidance on the following:

Existing and new infrastructure; sites of specific engineering and transportation significance

Natural features and open space

Existing buildings and the construction of new buildings; sites of specific architectural significance

Project Timeline

Step 1: Set the Stage

Duration: Mid-March 2011 – Mid-April 2011

Public Workshop: April 6, 2011

Build understanding of existing conditions in the district, including the physical character and cultural assets. Evaluate existing guidelines, plans, policies and related documents

Step 2: Develop the Strategy for the Guidelines

Duration: Mid-April – Mid-May 2011

Public Workshop: April 25, 2011

Define the vision and guiding principles, establish policies for treating views and sub-areas, and establish a framework for the guidelines

Step 3: Develop the Design Guidelines

Duration: Mid-May 2011 – May 2012

Public Workshop: March 28, 2012 - Review and Discuss Draft of Design Guidelines

Develop and revise draft of the design guidelines with input from advisory groups, the HPC, and the public.

Step 4: Place the Guidelines into Action

Duration: May 2012- July 2012

HPC Public Hearing on Adoption: July 2012

Guidelines reviewed by State Historic Preservation Office and by HPC

Public Meetings

Community Meeting #1On April 6, 2011, the Community Planning and Economic Development Department held a public meeting from 6:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m. in the Mill City Museum on the project. The purpose of this meeting was to review the history of the area, why the area is significant to Minneapolis's Heritage, and to introduce the project to develop the historic district design guidelines.

Community Meeting #2Community Meeting #2 occurred on April 25, 2011, from 6:30 p.m. to 9:00 p.m. April 25, 2011 Agenda

Community Meeting #3 Community Meeting #3 occurred on March 28, 2012. In this meeting the second draft of the design guidelines were reviewed and discussed. The second draft of the design guidelines is linked below for viewing and downloading. Comments on the draft guidelines can be made using the online survey also linked below.

Documents

Design Guideline Strategy PaperAt its May 10, 2011 meeting, the Heritage Preservation Commission reviewed and commented on the Strategy Paper. The purpose of the Strategy Paper is to set the approach to develop design guidelines, establish specific design policies and establish the format and structure of the guidelines. The document summarizes the public input received up to the time of the development of the paper.

On September 24, 2012 the Minneapolis Heritage Preservation Commission (HPC) will hold a public hearing on the adoption of the St. Anthony Falls Historic District Design Guidelines. The final draft of the design guidelines are linked below. Comments on the final draft of the design guidelines can be provided at the public hearing or writing to the project manager, Brian Schaffer, using the contact information at the bottom of the page.